Can SSD benefits be approved if I have not had ongoing treatment?

There might be a misplaced perception that people in Georgia and throughout the U.S. who are seeking Social Security disability benefits for a cardiovascular condition or illness have been getting extended treatment for their issues. For a variety of reasons, that is not always the case. Perhaps the individual was unaware of the extent of their issues and did not get treatment until it reached a point where they had become disabled and needed to consider SSD benefits. Or financial concerns and a lack of medical insurance prevented them from seeking treatment that they needed. Regardless of the reason, a lack of evidence must be addressed when seeking SSD.

The Social Security Administration has steps it will take for those who have not gotten ongoing treatment. This is true even if the impairment was in place and clearly hindering the person’s everyday functioning. When this happens, the SSA and its Disability Determination Services will use current objective medical evidence and any other available evidence to come to its decision. People who have not had treatment are unable to indicate that their impairment meets the criteria on the Listing of Impairments to warrant an approval.

It is possible, however, that the SSA will decide that the applicant is disabled if there is a separate impairment that, when combined with the cardiovascular issue equals an impairment on the Listings and the person’s work experience, age, education and residual functional capacity. If the SSA cannot come to a decision based on the evidence it has, it will need a longitudinal record. That is information that has accrued over a long period of time and will assist the SSA in its decision-making process. If that is not available, it could be necessary that there be a consultative examination to determine how severe the impairment is and if SSD benefits are warranted.

Not everyone who is disabled with a cardiovascular issue has been receiving extended treatment or even been accurately diagnosed before the impairment is disabling. If that is the case, it is still possible to get SSD benefits. Having legal advice with the case is critical from the beginning and can help to receive an approval for Social Security disability benefits for illness.

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